Obama's Judicial Payback

Republicans adopt filibuster tactics that Democrats pioneered.

Updated March 13, 2013 12:01 a.m. ET

Senate Republicans used a filibuster last week to block the nomination of Caitlin Halligan to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, and Democrats are in full boil. President Obama denounced "the Republican pattern of obstruction," but Republicans are merely following the filibuster precedent that Democrats set when George W. Bush was President. Turnabout is unfair play.